Are NYPD Police Using Illegal License Plate Covers to Avoid Tickets?

February 14, 2017
By
Gannes and Musico, LLP

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According to an article published in the New York Post, a large group of NYPD police officers have been using illegal flash-reflecting plastic license plate covers on their personal vehicles to fool traffic cameras and avoid tickets. The covers, which cost about $6 online, allow the plates to remain visible to the naked eye but obstruct the ability of cameras to get a clear picture.

An Inside Edition report found that the covers were equipped on more than 100 vehicles displaying NYPD placards parked outside station houses and courthouses throughout New York City. When the drivers were confronted by reporters about the covers, their reactions varied from admitting to being caught red-handed to driving off without comment. One driver, who admitted to being a police officer, said that the covers did not allow him to skip paying tolls but refused to answer when asked if the practice was illegal.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in December plans to crack down on drivers who use these covers, as they have allowed roughly 144,000 drivers to fool cameras and dodge tickets since 2014. While NYPD officials have admitted that they know of the issue and are looking to “address it,” little has been done so far to crack down on the violating officers. NYPD spokesman Peter Donald claimed that about a dozen officers were ticketed for having the covers on their vehicles, with added penalties such as forfeited vacation days and command discipline being a possible consequence for some offenders.

Received a Traffic Ticket? Dial (877) 803-2603

If you have received a traffic ticket due to a covered license plate, or for any other reason, do not pay it without a fight! At Gannes & Musico, LLP, our team of New York City traffic ticket lawyers can provide the powerful representation you need to maximize your chances of having your ticket dismissed.

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